Strange Coincedences
by Soar and Stealth
Summary: Post-Hogwarts H/G R/Hr These two couples are in for some major surprises... PG-13 rating for a fogged up mirror and glasses!!! *6/7/03 New chapter content uploaded for Chapter One. Lots of things changed and fixed! Give it another try!*
1. And It All Begins...

Strange Coincidences Chapter One

*And It All Begins…*

Harry Potter stared at the mirror, trying in vain to get his disobedient hair to lie flat.  He re-examined his reflection.  He wore a long-sleeved aqua shirt with black dress pants.  He turned back to his bed, and picked up his sleek, black robes, pulling them over his head.  Tonight was a rather important night, and he wanted to look presentable.  If only that hair of his would behave.   Harry glanced quickly around the room, and out into the hall to be sure that Ron was still occupied in his own room.

Concentrating as hard as he could, Harry forced his mind and his body into the form of a panther.  When he opened his eyes, he was rewarded with the reflection of a large, black animal, green eyes glowing.  He circled slowly, studying the creature that stared back at him.  Lowering his head, he concentrated on the small lily flower on his right ear.  As Harry transformed back into himself, he thought about what it meant.

Like the Patronus, the markings of an Animagus chose the person.  Most of the time, the markings were something distinctive about the person that was reflected on the animal, such as Professor McGonagall's glasses.  But with Harry, if seemed as though once again, his parents were touching his life.  He had been more than happy to find that his scar hadn't followed him to his panther form.  It was what the world knew him for, but it wasn't a true reflection of him.  The lily wasn't his own trait, but it warmed him to know that he had his father with him in Patronus form, and his mother with him in his Animagus.

Harry then turned his thoughts to his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.  They also were Animagi.  The three friends had begun to meet with Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall shortly after their graduation from Hogwarts, and had begun the process of becoming Animagi.

They had only mastered it a few months before, in early August.  Now, each could become a different animal at will.  As with the markings, the type of animal chose the wizard.  What had been ironic, and almost comical about it was the fact that they were each a type of cat at heart.  The sly, stealthy panther had chosen Harry, while the lazy, yet fierce lion had chosen Ron.  Hermione had turned out as a simple housecat, and was quite excited, claiming that cats were very intelligent animals, and causing Ron to 'cough' quite loudly.  They all knew how he felt about Crookshanks.  Harry absently wondered what animal would choose Ginny when she was given the chance… 

Harry sat on his bed, thinking about his friends, and how lucky he was to still have them; that they had all made it out of the war alive.  There had been many times when they thought that this wouldn't be so.  The earliest, and possibly scariest, of these times was the Death Eaters kidnapping of Hermione in their seventh year.  She had been snatched cleanly out of Hogsmeade near Christmas.  Harry and Ron, despite their protests, had been made to sit and wait in the Common Room for word on the situation.  During that time, their pent up anger and anxiety had been released in the form of wandless magic.

Harry was an extremely powerful wizard, partly because of his lineage, but mostly because of everything he had gone through in his young life.  The trials that he had gone through so early in his life built a power within him that most wizards wouldn't ever imagine possessing.  Ron was also a powerful wizard, but for reasons far different than Harry's.  He was constantly controlled by his emotions, and those emotions seemingly had magic of their own.

For many weeks following the defeat of Voldemort, Harry and Ron had been training with Dumbledore to control the magic that coursed so freely through the veins.  Even now that they had been out of school, and working for a year, their flat in Hogsmeade allowed them to visit Dumbledore often.  Harry was snapped out of his thoughts by a sharp rap on the door.  He looked up to see the tall, lanky form of his best friend leaning in the doorway, wearing a nice pair of midnight blue robes.

"You about ready, Harry?  We're supposed to be there in twenty minutes, so I think it's about time we checked up on Ginny and Hermione," Ron said.  Harry nodded, and they both Apparated next door.

~*~

Harry and Ron appeared in the small living room of Hermione and Ginny's flat, only to find the two girls still rushing around.  Ron sighed and flopped back on the couch, clearly wishing that the girls would be ready soon.  Harry chose to wander around the house, instead.  He made his way into the small study that Ginny and Hermione shared.  He saw quite a few formidable looking books stacked in a corner, ones he was sure belonged to Hermione.  She developed Charms for the Department of Experimental Charms at the Ministry of Magic.  He raked his hand through his hair, very grateful that his and Ron's job in the Department of Mysteries didn't require as much heavy reading and research, although it did require its fair share.

Ginny had a few things lying around the study, as well.  Harry carefully picked up a well-thumbed copy of _Horribly Advanced Transfiguration for the Unnaturally Smart and Interested by Emeric Switch and smiled.  Only Ginny would own, nevertheless have read this kind of book, as it was for her Master Magic Transfiguration course.  Just as he began to think about her, the small, red blur that was Ginny rushed into the study, disturbing papers all over the room before rushing out again.  Harry shook his head and hurried after her as she ran into the kitchen.  An important looking gray owl was perched on one of the table chairs._

"Harry, have you got a quill?  I'm almost done with this homework, and as soon as I send it off, we can leave."

"If we're any later, your mum will have a conniption… maybe you should've done your homework when you got it, instead of waiting until the last minute," lectured Harry, putting on the best stern face he could muster, considering the situation.  Ginny immediately straightened up, and peered very suspiciously at Harry after that last statement.

"And when, Mr. Potter, did you ever do your homework on time?" inquired Ginny, an eyebrow raised.

"Never," said Harry simply as he moved to stand behind her.  His arms snaked around her waist, and he buried his head in the russet waves of her hair.  She let out an audible sigh, but leaned into him all the same.

"Harry," she whined in exasperation, "I really must have this done before we leave, and you know quite well that I can't concentrate when you do _that_."

He leaned in, and whispered very low into her ear, "That's why I do it."  He spun her around to face him, and looked deeply into her chocolate eyes, a sight that never failed to mesmerize him, and leaned down to meet her lips.  When they pulled apart, he studied her features for a moment.  She was wearing a beautiful, fitted set of dark purple robes, and her curly hair was pulled back in the front, leaving the rest to hang down her back.  He considered her bright, brown eyes, rosy cheeks, full, pink lips, and the cinnamon dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks.  Just as he leaned back down to kiss her again, he was interrupted by a loud shriek.

"RON!" 

"Was that Hermione?" asked Harry.

"Er-yes Harry, I believe that it was," sighed Ginny, as she reluctantly pulled away from Harry's arms.  "Let's go see what my idiotic brother has done this time."

Harry and Ginny rushed into Hermione's room, finding a very flustered, and _very embarrassed Ron and Hermione._

"Ron, what happened?" asked Harry, surveying the rather odd scene.  Hermione was clutching her dress to herself and was backed up against the wall.  Ron, on the other hand, was standing there completely dumbfounded, his eyes directed at the floor.

"Well I-er-I mean, I was help-er-I mean-er-accident…" he mumbled, not meeting Harry's eyes. 

"Accident?  I should bloody well hope it was an accident," spluttered Hermione.  Harry knew that this had to have been a serious offense for Hermione to curse…she'd been spending too much time with Ron.  Her voice suddenly dropped to a frustrated sigh.  "I just got a little hair caught up in my zipper.  And this prat had to go and rip my dress off, when I could've used a simple charm on it, but instead I now have to repair my dress, _and_ my fix my hair."

            "Oh, Hermione, that's awful. I'm so sorry.  Do you need me to help you with anything else?  I'll help you with your hair," said Ginny, apologetically, as the meaning of Hermione's words sunk in, explaining Ron's practically comatose state.  Harry, upon making this revelation, was having trouble suppressing his amusement at the present situation.  He lost his control when Hermione's dress was ripped once again as it caught on the chair she sat in.  Unfortunately, Ginny promptly smacked him 'round the head, while he received a death glare from Hermione.  Ron still didn't look up.

"Thanks so much, Gin.  I hope this doesn't leave us running too late," she mumbled.  She looked up at Ron and Harry, and spoke again.  "You two prats can go ahead and get the presents before I hex you both into next week.  We'll meet you there."  Ron and Harry nodded obediently, and left the room very quickly.

~*~

"FRED!  GEORGE!  YOU GET OUT OF THIS KITCHEN THIS INSTANT!" shrieked Molly, as she turned a nice shade of sky blue.  The blue, as it was mixed with her red face, became a wonderful shade of lavender.  This, of course, was the result of one of the twins' latest prank: Tinting Tea.  The two men, although at the moment they rather resembled young children, ran sniggering out of the kitchen, almost running into Ron and Harry on the way.

            "Why, hello ickle Ronnikens!  You're looking simply red today," cooed George, as he pinched Ron's already scarlet cheek.

            "Why, George, I do believe it looks as though our little Ronnie has seen a ghost…or perhaps just something he shouldn't have….  Nothing else produces this particular shade," said Fred as he tapped his chin.

            "I wonder, Fred, exactly _what_ our dear brother could have seen," said George mischievously.

"I don't suppose that this could involve a certain bushy-haired 'friend' of his, do you George?" asked Fred innocently.

            "Of _course_ not, Fred."

            "I didn't think so."

            Harry burst out laughing as Ron stalked huffily into the yard.  Fred and George gave him absolutely diabolical grins as he tried to catch his breath.

            "All I know is that it was an 'accident' involving a zipper and some hair," chuckled Harry as he followed Ron out back.  When he caught up with the extremely irate redhead, he looked around to find the entire Weasley family there.  And this family had gone from nine to seventeen, and would be growing to eighteen in a matter of months.  There were also a few honorary Weasleys, namely Remus and Sirius.

            Ask he walked outside; he noticed the rather apparent dome that was formed as a result of the snow repelling charms.  It was as though the Burrow and its surrounding property were stuck inside of a snow globe, the exception being that the snow was outside.  It still amazed Harry that in the dead of a chilling December, it felt like late August.  The wizarding world still held plenty of surprises for him.

            He wound around the yard, which was a complete sea of red, saying hello to each of the Weasleys.  Bill was playing with his elder daughter; a vivacious little girl named Estelle while his wife, Fleur, tended to their four-month-old daughter Lucie.  He waved to Charlie, who was alone.  It was common knowledge that Charlie was a bachelor, and seemed quite content in being so.  The next couple he came to was Percy and Penelope, and their four-year-old son Merrick.  

            Fred and George had made it outside, and had joined their wives.  George's wife Katie promptly handed their daughter Jodie to him, and made her way over to talk to Angelina.  The two had remained best friends since their Quidditch days at Hogwarts, and Katie was 'coaching' Angelina through her pregnancy.  She and Fred were expecting a little boy within three months.

            All of a sudden, Harry heard Charlie's voice from across the yard.

            "QUIDDITCH ANYONE?"

            Harry immediately joined the group of people now swarming around Charlie.  Fred and George had Percy by the arms and literally carried him over to Charlie.  Bill dragged Fleur, and the rest followed suit.  The teams were quickly decided, and announced as thus: for the first team, Bill and Fleur were playing Chaser, while Fred was Beater, Percy was roped into Keeper, and Charlie was the Seeker.  On the opposing team were Katie and Ginny as Chasers, George as Beater, Ron as Keeper, and Harry was playing Seeker.  As Alicia couldn't fly in her current 'state' (as Molly called it), she would be refereeing from the ground.  Hermione, Penny, and Arthur had baby-sitting duties.

            The teams quickly gathered their brooms, and took to the air. They had managed to secure a set of Quidditch balls for their use, which made the game much more interesting. The fact that each team was minus two players didn't seem to slow the ten players down at all.  Katie promptly scored the first goal two minutes into the game. Bill then scored the next goal easily, taking advantage of Ron's still subdued state. 

As soon as it was back in play, Fleur stole the Quaffle directly from Ginny afterwards. She would have scored again, but George sent a well-aimed Bludger at her head, and she lost the ball, causing Bill to curse loudly as his brother. Katie immediately took possession, and scored on the irritated Percy, who was still upset over being pulled into the game. 

The game quickly intensified as Bludgers and the Quaffle flew through the air.  The fouls were kept to a minimum, though, as Slytherin was not competing.  Harry's team was down, mostly due to Ron's less than accurate Keeping, and the score stood at 90-100, when he saw a glimmer of gold across the field.  

Charlie saw it as well, but Harry was much closer. They both raced for the Snitch, narrowly avoiding Ginny, who was streaking towards the goalposts, unaware of the Seekers' competition.  Harry was about five feet away when out of nowhere came a Bludger, which made him had to roll over on his broom to get out of the way. In those few precious seconds, the Snitch was lost again.  

Harry glided up, looping above the game as he went, releasing his frustration over losing the Snitch.  He looked down at Ginny, admiring the way the sun picked up on some of the natural highlights in her hair, and made them glint gold.  Harry suddenly realized that her hair wasn't the only golden object, but that the Snitch was hovering just about Ginny's hair!  Harry raced down towards her, followed moments later by Charlie.  Ginny didn't see him coming until he was almost on top of her.

"What? Harry…" she was cut off as his hand clasped the Snitch, and raised it in the air.  A roar went up from Harry's team mates.

"We won!" George yelled out. "Fred, you owe me five galleons!"  Fred scowled at his brother, sending a Bludger at his head. 

The final score stood at 260-120.  The game disbanded, and while Fred and George returned the balls to their box, the brooms were returned to the shed.  They were all rather sweaty, so they headed inside to stand in line for the bathroom so that they could wash up before dinner.  It did not help their tired, sweaty attitudes at all when Percy actually took a shower before letting anyone else simply wash up.  The crowd slowly dwindled, and finally, all that remained were Harry and Ginny.

They both entered the small bathroom, and began to wash up at the small sinks.  Harry was almost finished washing his hands when a handful of water hit him in the face.  He turned to Ginny with an incredulous look on his face.  She simply grinned, and continued to wash her face.  He flung a small amount of water back at her.  A fight quickly ensued, and within a matter of moments, the two were drenched.  As Harry warded off another attack, he grabbed Ginny around the waist, and placed her on the counter.

            She stopped her attack as she kissed him lightly on the forehead.  He looked up at her, and she could see that the glint of mischief quickly being replaced by passion in his green eyes.  She felt it as well, and was all too ready when his soft lips took hold of hers in a fervent kiss.  Her lips responded to his, as she twisted her hands into the mop of dark hair covering his head.  His tongue lashed out, and played at her bottom lip, petitioning entry.

            All of Ginny's senses were lost as Harry's tongue penetrated deep into her mouth.  She felt a sense of loss as Harry's lips were pulled from hers.  She loosened her grip on him only enough for him to gaze into her eyes.  His eyes, usually emerald green, were so dark that she wouldn't have been able to discern them from black.  She stared deep into them, drinking in the look of hunger and adoration.

            She was only slightly aware of the light kisses Harry was placing down her jaw line, continuing their path down her neck to her collarbone.  Ginny finally gave into her urgency, and reclaimed his mouth with hers.  Their kisses became more and more intense, and the passion was almost palpable in the air.  As their mouths and tongues remained tangled, Ginny worked as fiercely as she could to work open the clasp on the front of his robes.  She soon felt his hands tugging on the fastenings of her own.  Neither one was met with much luck, but both found a little humour in the fact that neither of them could manage a few fastenings and buttons.

            As Harry pulled back slightly, Ginny produced a small smile, and quickly kissed him again.  Before she knew what was happening, Ginny felt Harry's arms tighten around her, pick her up off of the counter, and lay her down on the ground.  She smiled quickly up at him, and nipped lightly at his ear.  He continued to kiss her was so much pent up passion that Ginny began to feel slightly drunk, and very light headed.

            It wasn't just her head that felt light, though.  Harry seemed to notice it as well, and they broke off the kiss only to find that they, along with anything that hadn't been secured to the floor, were floating two feet above where they should've been.  In his pleasure, it seemed as though Harry's wandless magic had played a few tricks.  As soon as he realized what was happening, he lost his concentration.  Everything fell back to the floor and counters with a crash.

            Harry and Ginny were startled out of their reverie by the sudden change of events, and could hear the confusion of the people outside at the crash.  The both scrambled to their feet and did their best to right their still sopping robes.  Harry performed a few very rushed drying charms, and they were out the door as quick as could be.  In all their haste, they managed to miss the fact that the large mirror that occupied the Weasley's bathroom was completely fogged up, as were Harry's glasses.

            They walked carefully into the backyard, only to be met by a shriek from Molly, stares from Ron and Hermione, laughter from Charlie and the twins, a smirk from Bill, and two very disapproving looks from Arthur, and Percy.

            "I-er-well, I mean we-er-it was just-er," stuttered Harry as he felt thirteen pairs of eyes on him.  Ginny simply glared at her family, especially Fred, and took a seat.  Harry sat down next to her and Ron, and stared down at his plate.  Dinner began, and all was silent, until George finally broke the tension.

            "Gin, how come your hair is all wet?"  At this, the table exploded.  Mostly with strict reprimands, but with quite a few laughs and catcalls.  This carried on for quite some time, until Ginny had had enough.  She stood up, and the table went silent, except for Lucie's startled cries.  She looked carefully around the table.  

"We had a bit of a row. That is all there is to it," she said sternly, and once again sat down and resumed eating.  This answer either satisfied the others at the table, or else they knew that that was the only answer that they were going to get.  The atmosphere quickly lightened, and everyone enjoyed his or her dinner in peace. After a lengthy course of deserts, Molly calmly announced that Ginny would be the one to help her clean up. With this said, Ginny dutifully followed her mother inside, painfully aware of the lecture that she would receive.

~*~

            "Ginny," Molly began as she started washing the dishes in the sink.  Her gaze was steadily fixed on her one and only daughter, "I think it is finally time that I realized that you're not a little girl anymore.  You have grown into a beautiful woman, and have a loving boyfriend, who is practically part of this family."

            Ginny shifted a bit uncomfortably as she dried the dishes, because she knew exactly what was coming.  Her mother was clearly going to talk to her about her needing to act responsibly around Harry.

            "I am quite aware of how you two feel about each other.  But because of this, you need to be careful that your feelings don't get out of control," Molly told her sensitively as she turned to face her daughter fully.  "I don't want you to do anything foolish that you might regret later."  There was seriousness in her voice that was not to be taken lightly, despite the soft tone.

            "I have a feeling that you came close to doing something foolish this afternoon."

            Ginny struggled to keep a straight face, wondering how it was that mothers always knew when you had been up to something.

            "I don't want to know what happened, but I hope you weigh the consequences before you get into a similar situation again.  And do remember that you have six brothers, four sisters-in-law, not to mention a father, and four nieces and nephews in this house," Molly finished as she turned back to the sink to finish the dishes.  Ginny dazedly left the kitchen, perceiving that the silence signalled their conversation to be over.

~*~

            Ginny headed up to the room she was sharing with Hermoine, dragging her feet as she went.  She opened the door, walked across the room, and flung herself on the bed.

            "Do you want to talk about it?" asked Hermione gently.  Ginny simply groaned.

            "I can't believe that it almost happened.  It really almost did, Hermione," Ginny sighed.  "And now that I look back on it, I don't know if I want it to happen, or not."

            "Well, that's for you to decide.  I can't help you there."

            "How about you and Ron…have you…?"

            "Oh, oh…no…not yet.  But we have talked about it, and we decided that when we both feel ready, we'll know, and then…well, then it will happen."  Both girls were blushing like mad by now, Hermione because she was sharing such personal information, and Ginny because the information concerned a part of her brother's life that she never wanted to be privy to.

            "Well, how am I supposed to, you know, know?" Ginny asked exasperatedly.

"You just do.  There's nothing more I can tell you."

            "Do you think you and Ron will…soon?"

            "I…well, I think it might happen soon.  It's starting to feel right.  I can't explain it.  Oh, Ginny, I wish I could help you.  I really do.  But, it's a decision you and Harry have to make for yourselves."

            "I know.  Thanks anyway, Hermione.  I don't know what I would do without you."  Ginny leaned over and gave Hermione a hug.

            "I'm sure you'd manage, somehow, someway."  Both girls dissolved into laughter.

~*~

Later that evening, with dinner gone, the dishes washed, and all of the awkward conversations out of the way, the Burrow was pleasantly calm.  Harry knocked on Ginny's door, and entered her room.  Hermione and Ginny looked up at him, and he simply smiled.

            "Hello.  Ginny, may I speak with you for a moment?" he asked cordially.

            "Why of course, Harry," she replied, playing along with the formality of the question.  They walked out into the hallway where Harry took a deep breath before speaking.

            "Ginny, things got, well, the got way out of control today.  I should've stopped them.  I'm only glad that something did.  I know we've talked about this before, and if you're not ready, we're going to wait.  I'm sorry that I let all this hap…" Harry was silenced before he could finish his thought by the hungry kiss Ginny planted on his lips.  Once again, he felt the world around them dissolve, and felt a sense of utter loss when she pulled away.  She whispered to him in a deep, husky voice.

            "I'm ready, Harry."  Harry's jaw must've hit the floor as stared at her, and she simply nodded at him once again in assurance, a seductive grin dancing on her lips.  "Just let me take care of Hermione."  She opened her door, and Hermione stood.

            "Is everything all right?" she asked.

            "Everything is fine, Hermione.  Harry and I just need have some _'unfinished'_ business to attend to," she said, grinning at Hermione.  It was blatantly obvious that Hermione knew what was happening.  "And we would be eternally grateful if you would…occupy…Ron for the night."

            Hermione's eyes widened at Ginny's last statement, and she stared at the young girl incredulously for a moment, before her face broke out into a huge grin that could only mean that she was up to no good.

            "He'll be out of your way tonight, I promise."

~*~

Authors' Blab: Hello everyone!!!  We'd like to point out that Voldemort has been defeated, and the Dark War is over for this fic.  It starts at Christmas Ginny's first year out of Hogwarts.  That should clear up any confusion that there might be.  Also, the authors are saps, and didn't have the heart to kill off anyone in the war.  While we know that there will inevitably be deaths, we're going to let J.K. be the murderer.  J  So sorry.  We're also a bit sorry about switching the POV so often…we hope it isn't too confusing!!!  Oh, and something we'd just like to mention.  Yes it is Christmas, yes it is cold, but they have charmed the Weasley's backyard to be "heated", if you will.  We're not sure how they did it, but they did.  And the entire Weasley family is staying at the Burrow…we do know how that happened, and if you really want to know, e-mail us!  Please be kind and leave us a review!!!!  Oh yes, and the infamous Disclaimer (we won't bother to put this in following chapters, but it will apply to them as well, so PAY ATTENTION!)

WE DON'T OWN THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF HARRY POTTER!

greeneyes and TigerLily


	2. Author's Note

A/N:  This is just an author's note.  We're terribly, terribly sorry about our awful procrastinating tendencies.  It's difficult to write with Megs in IL, and Say in FL.  But, this week we were together, and we have reworked chapter one.  That would be what you just read.  We have chapter two completely worked out, and even partly written, but it'll be awhile before we get it out.  We'll be getting together again in about 2 weeks, and we'll hopefully get it written then.  We might wait until after the 21st, though, so that we can tweak the chapters to fit the canon in Book 5.  Please bear with us, we're doing all we can, considering half of us is a lazy bum.  Ha…anyways, please, review, and stick around!  We'll work like crazy to get chapter two out!

greeneyes and TigerLily


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